Big payday for ‘Bang’s’ Helberg

Thesp, Warner Bros. TV seal salary renegotiation for CBS hit

Simon Helberg is in for a happy Thanksgiving. Thesp has reached a deal with Warner Bros. TV that gives him a whopping pay raise to continue in the ensemble of CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory” for another three seasons.

According to industry insiders, Helberg’s renegotiated pact calls for him to earn more than $100,000 per episode this season, the show’s fourth. Pact includes pay hikes for seasons five and six and an option for a seventh season.

Helberg and castmate Kunal Nayyar have been in talks with the studio for months on salary renegotiations in light of the record-setting syndication sale Warners reached earlier this year for the CBS hit (Daily Variety, May 17). Nayyar is said to be close to finalizing a similar deal.

Helberg and Nayyar deals come two months after WBTV sealed a rich renegotiation with “Big Bang” stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco. The three thesps saw their paychecks climb to $200,000 this season from around $60,000 per seg for the previous three seasons, with escalators that will take them to about $350,000 by season seven.